Slingline arrangement for oil well masts



Oct. 25, 1966 c. JENKINS ETAL SLINGLINE ARRANGEMENT FOR OIL WELL MASTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 5, 1964 INVENTORS. (EC/ JE/Vk/NS CAMPBELL R. WOOLSLAYEQ ERW/N ,4. BY JOSEPH am,%%%.

ATTOR/VEVS.

Oct. 25, 1966 c. JENKINS ETAL 3,280,519 SLINGLINE ARRANGEMENT FOR OIL WELL MASTS Filed June 5, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet E A T TOR/V5145 United States Patent 3,280,519 SLINGLINE ARRANGEMENT FOR OIL WELL MASTS Cecil Jenkins, Erwin A. Campbell, and Joseph R. Woolslayer, all of Tulsa, Okla, assignors to Lee C. Moore Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed June 5, 1964, Ser. No. 372,765 Claims. (Cl. 52-116) This invention relates to oil well drilling structures, and more particularly to the arrangement or stringing of the slinglines used in raising and lowering masts that are hinged to their supports.

In portable oil well drilling equipment, it is common practice to hinge the foot of a reclining mast to a base at the foot of a gin pole and then swing the mast up to upright position. As is well known, such masts are raised by operating the drawworks on the base to pull toward the crown block the travelling block that is hooked onto a sling extending rea-rwardly out of the most to the gin pole. In some cases the opposite ends of the slingline are anchored to the top of the gin pole, while in other cases the slingline extends back around sheaves supported by the top of the gin pole and then forward to anchor points on the mast or around snatch blocks attached to the mast and then back to anchor points on the gin pole. The way the slingline is strung depends on the length and weight of the mast. The heavier the mast the more complicated the string-up must be and therefore the farther the sling has to be pulled up in the mast for a given movement of the mast. The situation sometimes becomes such that the travelling block will reach the top of the mast before the mast has been completely raised. The problem thus created has been solved by raising the mast by steps in the manner shown in Patent 2,963,124, but of course that increases the time spent in raising and lowering the mast. In all these cases the sling arrangement compels the travelling block to be attached to the sling at a point a considerable distance from the foot of the mast; that is, at a point between the heel of the mast and the crown block.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide an arrangement for stringing a slingline which will allow a heavy mast to be raised in only one trip of the travelling block along the mast, which does not place excessive loads on the .lines, and which permits the drawworks line to deposit the travelling block on the base adjacent the gin pole as the descending mast reaches fully reclined position.

In accordance with this invention, in addition to the usual pair of laterally spaced sheaves mounted at the top of the gin pole, there is another pair of sheaves mounted at the bottom of the gin pole below the top sheaves and there also is a pair of laterally spaced sheaves connected to the upper part of the reclining mast. A slingline has its opposite ends secured to the upper part of the gin pole. The slingline is doubled on itself and extends from the gin pole forward and around the two mast sheaves and then back over the top gin pole sheaves and down under the bottom gin pole sheaves, from which the slingline extends forward into the mast to form a loop therein for connection to the travelling block. With this arrangement, the travelling block can be connected to the slingline at the foot of the gin pole, so it will be able to travel substantially the full length of the mast during erection of the mast. When the mast is lowered again, the final position of the travelling block will be near the foot of the gin pole, so it can be deposited on the supporting base, without any necessity for further handling it.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which 3,28%,519 Patented Oct. 25, lgfifi FIG. 1 is a side view of a portable oil well mast in position for raising;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary side view of the mast being raised;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the fully raised mast;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the front section of the substructure, showing the lower part of the sling; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the sling while the mast is in its lower position.

Referring to the drawings, a mast substructure or base 1 of any suitable construction is located at the well location, either by being assembled there or by being hauled there on wheels 2. Mounted in front and rear shoes 3 and 4 on the base are the upwardly converging legs of a gin pole 5. Pivotally mounted at 6 in the front shoes are the feet of a reclining mast 7 that extends forward away from the base. The front end or head of the mast supports the usual crown block 8, through which pass lengths of a line 9 that extends back through the mast to a travelling block 10 near the gin pole. Another part of this line extends from the crown block back above the mast and down around a sheave 11 (FIG, 5), journaled at the center of the top of the gin pole, to drawworks 12 mounted on the base. It will be seen that when the drawworks is operated to wind up the line, the travelling block will be pulled forward toward the crown block.

To aid in erecting the mast, a slingline 15 is used, which is doubled on itself to form a loop over the hook 116 of the travelling block. It is a feature of this invention that the two sides of the sling extend back under a pair of substantially vertical sheaves 17, which are pivotally mounted at the bottom of the gin pole, such as being connected to the inner sides of the front shoes 2 as shown in FIG. 4. From these sheaves the sling extends up and forward over another pair of vertical sheaves 18, supported by the top of the gin pole, and then forward and around a pair of snatch bloc-ks 19 connected to the upper part of the reclining mast. The sling then extends back to the top of the gin pole, to which the opposite ends of the slingline are anchored at 20 (FIG. 5) in any suitable manner.

When the drawworks is operated to pull the travelling block toward the crown block, the sling loop is pulled in the same direction. This shortens the portion of the sling above the reclining mast, so that the sling helps to swing the mast upward and back against the gin pole to upright position as shown in FIG. 3. To lower the mast, it is pulled forward over dead center by a suitable auxiliary line (not shown) and then the slingline aids in supporting the tilting mast and controlling its descent to the ground.

Although the general way in which the sling raises the mast is similar to what has been done before, by providing the sheaves 17 at the bottom of the gin pole and running the slingline under them in the manner disclosed herein .a new and unexpected result occurs. It permits the travelling block to be attached to the slingline considerably closer to the gin pole than before, when the point of attachment had to be forward of sling sheaves located near the heel of the reclining mast, and therefore the block can travel farther in the mast before reaching the crown block. The advantages of this are that it reduces the load on the lines and also allows the travelling block to be deposited on the base by line 9 after the mast has been reclined, as shown in FIG. 1. The travelling block them is in a position to be reconnected to the slingline when desired, without having to be moved. This is especially important when the base is the trailer type shown, that can be hauled to another location with the travelling block riding on the base.

3,2so,s 19

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, we have explained the principle of our invention and have illustrated and described what We now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, we desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

We claim:

1. In an oil oil well drilling structure, the combination with a base, drawworks mounted thereon, a gin pole mounted on said base, a reclining mast hinged to the base in front of the gin pole and extending forward away from it, a line extending from the drawworks up over the gin pole and forward to the front end of the mast and then back inside the mast, a travelling block connected with the line inside the mast near the gin pole, and a pair of laterally spaced substantially vertical sheaves mounted at the .top of the gin pole; of a pair of laterally spaced substantially vertical sheaves mounted at the bottom of the gin pole below said top sheaves, a pair of laterally spaced sheaves connected to the upper part of the reclining mast, and a slingline having ends secured to the upper part of the gin pole, the slingline being doubled on itself and extending from the gin pole forward and around said mast sheaves and then back over the top gin pole sheaves and down under the bottom gin pole sheaves and forward into the mast to form a loop therein for connection to the travelling block, whereby when said drawworks is operated to pull the travelling block forward in the reclining mast the slingline will pull on said mast sheaves and thereby help to swing the mast upward and backward toward the gin pole to upright position.

2. In an oil well drilling structure as recited in claim 1, a pair of shoes mounted on said base, the gin pole having front feet mounted in said shoes, and means connected to the shoes supporting said bottom sheaves.

3. In an oil well drilling structure, the combination with a base, drawworks mounted thereon, a gin pole mounted on said base and having front and rear sides inclined upwardly toward each other, a reclining mast in front of the gin pole having upper and lower legs extending forward away from it, feet secured to the rear ends of the lower legs and hinged to the base at the bottom of the mast, the rear ends of the upper legs terminating a substantial distance in front of said feet, inclined braces connecting the rear ends of the upper legs to the rear ends of the lower legs, a line extending from the drawworks up over the gin pole and forward to the front end of the mast and then back inside the mast, a travelling block beneath said inclined braces connected with the line inside the mast, and a pair of laterally spaced substantially vertical sheaves mounted at the top of the gin pole; of a pair of laterally spaced substantially vertical sheaves mounted at the bottom of the gin pole below said top sheaves, a pair of laterally spaced sheaves connected to the upper part of the reclining mast in front of said inclined braces, and a slingline having ends secured to the upper part of the gin pole, the slingline being doubled on itself and extending from the gin pole forward and around said mast sheaves and then back over the top gin pole sheaves and down under the bottom gin pole sheaves and forward into the mast to form a loop therein for connection to the travelling block, whereby when said drawworks is operated to pull the travelling block forward in the reclining mast the slingline will pull on said mast sheaves and thereby help to swing the mast upward and backward toward the gin pole to upright position.

4. In an oil well drilling structure, the combination with a base, drawworks mounted thereon, a gin pole mounted on said base, an upright mast hinged to the base in front of the gin pole for swinging forward and downward into prone position along theground, a line extending from the drawworks up behind the top of the gin pole to the top of the mast and then down inside of it, a travelling block suspended by said line inside the mast near the top of the mast, and a pair of laterally spaced substantially vertical sheaves mounted at the top of the gin pole; of a pair of laterally spaced substantially vertical sheaves mounted at the bottom of the gin pole below said top sheaves, a pair of laterally spaced sheaves connected to the back of the mast above said gin pole sheaves, and a slingline doubled on itself with its central portion connected to said travelling block, the slingline extending downward from the block and back under said bottom sheaves and then up behind said top sheaves and around said mast sheaves and down to the gin pole, and the ends of the slingline being secured to the upper part of the gin pole, whereby when said drawworks is operated to lower the travelling block the slingline will control the forward and downward swinging of the mast.

5. In an oil Well drilling structure, the combination with a base, drawworks mounted thereon, a gin pole mounted on said base, a reclining mast hinged to the base in front of the gin pole and extending forward away from it, a line extending from the drawworks up over the gin pole and forward to the front end of the mast and then back inside the mast, a travelling block connected with the line inside the mast near the gin pole, and a pair of laterally spaced substantially vertical sheaves mounted at the top of the gin pole; of a pair of laterally spaced substantially vertical sheaves mounted at the bottom of the gin pole below said top sheaves, a slingline doubled on itself to form a loop therein connected to the travelling block, the slingline extending from the travelling block backward under said bottom sheaves and up around the top gin pole sheaves and forward therefrom over the mast, and means connecting with the upper part of the mast the portions of the slingline that extend over it, whereby when said drawworks is operated to pull the travelling block forward in the reclining mast the slingline will pull on said connecting means and thereby help to swing the mast upward and backward toward the gin pole to upright position.

References (Iited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,706,540 4/ 1955 Woolslayer et a1 52-120 2,787,344 4/1957 Woolslayer et al. 52120 X 2,963,124 12/1960 Woolslayer et al. 52120 3,141,653 7/1964 C. Jenkins 521l6 X FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

R. S. VERMUT, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN AN OIL OIL WELL DRILLING STRUCTURE, THE COMBINATION WITH A BASE, DRAWWORKS MOUNTED THEREON, A GIN POLE MOUNTED ON SAID BASE, A RECLINING MAST HINGED TO THE BASE IN FRONT OF THE GIN POLE AND EXTENDING FORWARD AWAY FROM IT, A LINE EXTENDING FROM THE DRAWWORKS UP OVER THE GIN POLE AND FORWARD TO THE FRONT END OF THE MAST AND THEN BACK INSIDE THE MAST, A TRAVELLING BLOCK CONNECTED WITH THE LINE INSIDE THE MAST NEAR THE GIN POLE, AND A PAIR OF LATERALLY SPACED SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL SHEAVES MOUNTED AT THE TOP OF THE GIN POLE; OF A PAIR OF LATERALLY SPACED SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL SHEAVES MOUNTED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE GIN POLE BELOW SAID TOP SHEAVES, A PAIR OF LATERALLY SPACED SHEAVES CONNECTED TO THE UPPER PART OF THE RECLINING MAST, AND A SLINGLINE HAVING ENDS SECURED TO THE UPPER PART OF THE GIN POLE, THE SLINGLINE BEING DOUBLED ON ITSELF AND EXTENDING FROM THE GIN POLE FORWARD AND AROUND SAID MAST SHEAVES AND THEN BACK OVER THE TOP GIN POLE SHEAVES AND DOWN UNDER THE BOTTOM GIN POLE SHEAVES AND FORWARD INTO THE MAST TO FORM A LOOP THEREIN FOR CONNECTION TO THE TRAVELING BLOCK, WHEREBY WHEN SAID DRAWWORKS IS OPERATED TO PULL THE TRAVELLING BLOCK FORWARD IN THE RECLINING MAST THE SLINGLINE WILL PULL ON SAID MAST SHEAVES AND THEREBY HELP TO SWING THE MAST UPWARD AND BACKWARD TOWARD THE GIN POLE TO UPRIGHT POSITION. 